FALL MEET AT DEL MAR PART OF PLAN TO RESCUE CALIFORNIA RACING

“We’re going to run this meet at a cost-plus deal, basically,” Harper said. “We’re looking at most of our profits going toward whatever needs to be done without Hollywood Park in order for things to work. It would be for a year-round training facility. We’ll have to do something there, and we’ll do whatever we can to make that happen.”

Harper said Del Mar can’t pick up any horses for training or boarding. He said it would be too expensive and the amount of events hosted on the Fairgrounds would prohibit any additional training or boarding.

“What we can do with the profits that we make on this expanded racing would go toward fixing up San Luis Rey Downs or another facility for year-round training,” Harper said. “We’re willing to put that money into industry funds assuming that anybody else who picks up extra days would do the same. That way we’d be assured of getting new facilities.”

Despite Del Mar and Santa Anita likely picking up dates, there will be a hole in the schedule in December, with no racing planned at either track until Dec. 26 when Santa Anita reopens.

“No matter how you look at it, 2014 is going to be a test,” Harper said. “We might find that we need a bigger break or need to schedule some things differently in 2015. We’re trying to do the best with what we think will happen and see how it works.”